The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-12-24
LABOR INTERESTS.

Reading Railway Employees Decline to CO.
Operate with Non-Union Men.
PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 23-About o'clock last
evening FIVE shifting-crews of the Philadelphia
& Reading Railroad Company were ordered into
the round-house at Port Richmond by Superin-
tendent Sweigart owing to their refusal to shift
several carloads of -four TO the grain elevator at
the foot of Williams street. Each of the crews
consist of engineer, fireman, con-
ductor and three brakemen. The news
of their discharge spread among
other employees of the yard, and the
men we're not long in ascertaiuing the reason OF
their dismissal It learned that the crews
were members Of district assemblies Nos. 1912
and 62SS, Knights OF Labor, and had refused to
move the flour to the elevator because several
non-union men were employed there to unload
the cars. When this Information reached the
ears of the union men employed in the elevator
a general strike among them sued Word was
soon communicated 10 those HI lights who handle
ore, etc. under the charge IF boss-stevedore
Morris Boney. and they, nearly three hun
dred in number, also quit work. The next
place visited in the yard that where boss.
stevedore Frank Flood had go men at work.
They stopped work, and Immediately left the
yard. and by o'clock more than 500 men were
loungine about the corners in the neiehborhood
Superntendent Sweieart was notified Of the
facts. and was soon upon the scene of the
strike. He positively refused 20 reinstate the
shifting crews. and ordered the striking en-
pioyes to return to their work. This they like
still out. while general strike is threatened
The Strike Likely to Become General.
PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 23.-The representa-
tives of the FIVE assemblies of the Reading rail-
road employees, who have formed a national
trade district assembly Of the Knights of Labor.
met tonight and called a general convention for
tomorrow aftern DON to take further action in
the matter of the strike. 1t is said upon
thority that word has been passed along the line
of the entire Reading system, and that the
thirty or forty thousand men in the service of
that company will refuse to to work to-mor-
row morning. 1t was stated at the Office OF the
Reading railroad that the clear duty of the
company q common carrier to deliver mer-
chandise to whomsoever it might be consigned,
without regard to any question between the
for the general manager TO issue the orders that
the cars in Port Richmond yards be moved at
once, and if the men refused move them they
should be discharged at from the service
of the company.
In regard to the trouble at EliZabethport,
where III men were discharged to day, it was
stated that the company sold 400 tons of broken
1t was to be loaded upon particular barge, be-
longing to the purchaser of the coal The COM
panys hands refused to load the barge, as it
was incumbent upon the company to do as a
common carrier. When this was learned at the
general office. order issued for the dis
charge of the men if they still persisted in
fusing to load the barge. They did refuse, and
they had discretion. under their charter. in
the performance of their duty, and that they
must receive freight from and transport it to
and for anyone